It Ends with Us

Chapter 12

 The juniper green trees stretched up toward the rose gold sky. The birds or what Peyton assumed were birds called out to each other up in the canopy. Along the ground the grass laid perfectly still save for when a footstep crushed the proud greenery into a flatten footprint.

"It should just be ahead," Peyton commented. His excitement was overwhelming. It started low in his stomach and shot up to his throat making it hard to breathe for seconds at a time.

"Are you excited?" Pidge asked, coming up beside Peyton.

"More than!" He replied.

Up ahead the trail dipped off suddenly into a valley. From where they were on the trail they could see stone pillars. Each had grooves all the way around the pillar. The top block had designs that Peyton was familiar with as being part of the Altean culture. There was no actual documentation other than the news clips with the lions standing in the background. Lines that resembled the patterns on the lions was all he could see as they walked closer.

Pidge was just in front of Peyton, the rest of the group a couple yards behind them. The only people who were missing were Lance and Lucas. Both were still uncomfortable with him being anywhere besides in the Atlas and until they got his lion they had no way of helping Keith and Kiera. The former Paladins hadn't mentioned it before but he could read it in their secretive looks they shared with each other.

Before he had a chance to take another step he found himself tackled to the ground by Pidge. Her arm lay across his chest as she leaned on her other one. Her head was raised and looking back at the others who stopped. She slowly shook her head afraid to make any noises for fear of drawing the attention of whoever was below.

Peyton could hear it now. The loud voices of the Galra echoing in the valley below. He laid still his eyes staring up into the canopy. It felt like minutes before Pidge's arm slid slowly from his chest and he was able to rise.

Keeping as far from the edge as they were allowed the group made their way around the perimeter in hopes to gather a better angle.

It only took one of them to step wrong. The crash that followed Hannah as she tripped over a branch hidden beneath the underbrush. Birds, if they could even be called that, shot from the trees and into the sky.

Shouts from below grew closer. Samantha pulled Hannah to her feet and they both were corralled by Shiro and Hunk as they pulled them farther into the forest. Pidge and Peyton didn't have a chance to follow and were forced to hide behind a couple trees.

Peyton was panting as he looked over at Pidge. Her back was placed flush against the trunk, her hands by her side. Her head was tilted slightly down and to the side, her eyes focused on the ground.

Footsteps approached the leaves crunching beneath their feet. Instinctively Peyton leaned forward. Pidge's head shot up from the movement. She shook her head, placing a finger to her lips. She then resumed her previous position.

Peyton laid his head back against the trunk swallowing as he attempted to calm his beating heart. The heart beat was so loud he was afraid it was going to give him away. He closed his eyes as the footsteps grew closer.

It was just seconds after the Galra passed between the trees before Pidge lunged. She went in for a hit before drawing back her hands raised. She walked in a circle and stopped with her back towards Peyton.

"Get behind the tree," she shouted back towards him. He did as he was told crouching down, head leaning towards his knees eyes clenched shut.

Grunts and scuffling sounded behind him. It felt like it was never ending. He thought conversation was being thrown back and forth but the blood pounding in his ears made it hard to do anything else.

He dared to look. Gathering his wits about him he turned to look. Pidge dove for the galra's legs. Surprised, the galra stumbled back. He tripped on the underbrush and he went flying towards the ground. A sickening crack filled the air around them and the galra moved no more.

Pidge rose to her feet when she turned to face him. Her entire front was splattered with blood. From her face to her neatly pressed uniform jacket there wasn't a spot where you couldn't find a spot of blood. Her temple was cut and bleeding, most likely from when the galra had kicked her.

She approached Peyton pulling him to his feet and back towards the small valley. "The others have most likely headed back that way, and if not they will eventually." Pidge spoke. Neither of them brought up the fact that she had just killed someone, but then again what choice did she have?

"Did you have to-" Peyton knew the answer even as Pidge whipped around to answer him.

"Yes! I had to do it!" she snapped, "This is war. Things will be destroyed and things will be lost. People will be killed and we can't do a damn thing about it. The only thing we can do is fight for survival and for the enemy to be crushed." Pidge turned once again seething with anger. A few moments passed in silence. The forest surrounding them was eerily quiet. "There's no stopping the darkness of war." She finally said a softer tone filling her voice.

XXXX
By the time anyone made it back to the valley it was too late. The gaping hole in the stone ground gave that much away. The Galra had taken the green lion. Now the Galra had two and they only had one. Yet there were still two to be found. Maybe there was still hope yet.

"We need to think of something!" Peyton cried to the older paladins, "There must be something we can do!"

Lance exchanged a glance with Shiro. In the few seconds that passed they seemed to have their own conversation.

"Absolutely not!" Shiro said leaning forward, "I will not allow it."

"You have no choice," Lance bit back, "He's the only one the lion will allow to fly it."

Peyton's eyes widened as he realized they were discussing him. He wanted to jump in but the way Shiro and Lance were going at it he didn't have a chance.

"We can find another way, but I'm not sending another intern into the Galra's hands!" Shiro growled.

"I can go with him."

"You have Lucas to worry about!"

"I'm right here. Very much capable of taking care of myself." Lucas commented. However it was as if he had never spoken.

"There's other people you can do that. I'm the only one who's free to be able to do this!" Lance rose slightly in his chair, "Face it! It's your only option!"

Shiro dropped his head to his hands and he knew Lance was right. The only way for them to get both lions back was to get more of them captured. By now at least Keira or Keith had been tortured and in a few hours they could be dead.

"Fine. But we need to move quickly. Who knows how long Kiera and Keith have left."